Creating my story one observation at a time

Spring Reconstruction

When the snow melts and the sun shines down on a newly green grass, the world wakes up. Our hibernating spirits shed our winter fur and we are ready for new beginnings. From St. Brigid’s day in February to the Songkran Water Festival in April, spring is celebrated with welcoming cheer around the world.

Along with the changing of the season, people often promise a new period of themselves. This is such a common trend that the second definition of springtime is “the first or earliest period: the springtime of love.” Funny that this is the example sentence that dictionary.com chose, seeing as love is one of those new beginnings we so often make.

According to recent studies, January through March is now considered one of two “breakup peaks.” This first season has aptly been named the “Spring Clean” as we prepare for the fresh blooms of April and May. We are compelled to rid ourselves of the clutter in our lives, both material and otherwise.

Personally, I have been single for longer than I can remember, so my spring transformation is simply in the form of chopping my hair for yet another donation to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. Since my first hair cut during my senior year of high school (which was something along the lines of 20 inches, maybe more), I have been donating my locks to those who are currently unable to grow their own.

On top of that, I will take my trip, forcing myself out of my comfort zone and into meeting people otherwise unknown. While I am in my hometown, I find it hard to step out of what others would find normal for me, to do things that outsiders would not expect. Hometown hiding. We all get comfortable with the people we speak to, hang out with, and the routine we live in. We grow cynical. Here, I find it hard to differentiate myself from a machine. But springtime is coming.

Humans have been following seasonal patterns since the dawn of time. However, because we have become so technological, we have outsmarted our weathered surroundings, our cyclical patterns have simply become more subtle. Or perhaps, our cycles simply become more apparent through a technological lens, since we are so obsessed with our devices and bored by the actual life around us; we can share our moments with a Facebook newsfeed but the story fumbles haphazardly from our unpracticed lips. The studies that showed the peaks and lulls of break-ups even used social media status’ as one of the main sources. And was a change even made if you didn’t post a picture? #TransformationTuesday

This trip I will be taking is about getting off my device and experiencing life. I want to live moments about which I can later can say “you had to be there,” rather than having my life documented every step of the way. I want some moments to be specifically mine. Of course, I will still share things, I will still take pictures, I will still write. Relationships are magical (familial or otherwise) and the connecting power of internet is helpful, but an abuse of anything is an addiction. This spring my change will be to remain present. I will not live more on my devices than in the moment. I will not ignore those around me to update a status because my status should be “busy.” I will let the laughs in the moment fulfill me and not seek likes online instead.